[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 53 (Monday, March 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16082-16090]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6550]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[EA-12-051; NRC-2012-0067; Docket Nos. (as shown in Attachment 1),
License Nos. (as shown in Attachment 1), or Construction Permit Nos.
(as shown in Attachment 1)]
In the Matter of All Power Reactor Licensees and Holders of
Construction Permits in Active Or Deferred Status: Order Modifying
Licenses With Regard To Reliable Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation
(Effective Immediately)
I
The Licensees and construction permit (CP) holders\1\ identified in
Attachment 1 to this Order hold licenses issued by the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) authorizing operation and/or
construction of nuclear power plants in accordance with the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and Title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, ``Domestic Licensing of Production and
Utilization Facilities,'' and Part 52, ``Licenses, Certifications, and
Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants.''
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\1\ CP holders, as used in this Order, includes CPs, in active
or deferred status, as identified in Attachment 1 to this Order
(i.e., Watts Bar, Unit 2; and Bellefonte, Units 1 and 2)
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[[Page 16083]]
II
On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off the coast
of the Japanese island of Honshu. The earthquake resulted in a large
tsunami, estimated to have exceeded 14 meters (45 feet) in height, that
inundated the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant site.
The earthquake and tsunami produced widespread devastation across
northeastern Japan and significantly affected the infrastructure and
industry in the northeastern coastal areas of Japan.
When the earthquake occurred, Fukushima Dai-ichi Units 1, 2, and 3
were in operation and Units 4, 5, and 6 were shut down for routine
refueling and maintenance activities. The Unit 4 reactor fuel was
offloaded to the Unit 4 spent fuel pool. Following the earthquake, the
three operating units automatically shut down and offsite power was
lost to the entire facility. The emergency diesel generators (EDGs)
started at all six units providing alternating current (ac) electrical
power to critical systems at each unit. The facility response to the
earthquake appears to have been normal.
Approximately 40 minutes following the earthquake and shutdown of
the operating units, the first large tsunami wave inundated the site,
followed by additional waves. The tsunami caused extensive damage to
site facilities and resulted in a complete loss of all ac electrical
power at Units 1 through 5, a condition known as station blackout. In
addition, all direct current electrical power was lost early in the
event on Units 1 and 2 and after some period of time at the other
units. Unit 6 retained the function of one air-cooled EDG. Despite
their actions, the operators lost the ability to cool the fuel in the
Unit 1 reactor after several hours, in the Unit 2 reactor after about
70 hours, and in the Unit 3 reactor after about 36 hours, resulting in
damage to the nuclear fuel shortly after the loss of cooling
capabilities.
The Unit 4 spent fuel pool contained the highest heat load of the
six units with the full core present in the spent fuel pool and the
refueling gates installed. However, because Unit 4 had been shut down
for more than 3 months, the heat load was low relative to that present
in spent fuel pools immediately following shutdown for reactor
refueling. Following the earthquake and tsunami, the operators in the
Units 3 and 4 control room focused their efforts on stabilizing the
Unit 3 reactor. During the event, concern grew that the spent fuel was
overheating, causing a high-temperature reaction of steam and zirconium
fuel cladding generating hydrogen gas. This concern persisted primarily
due to a lack of readily available and reliable information on water
levels in the spent fuel pools. Helicopter water drops, water cannons,
and cement delivery vehicles with articulating booms were used to
refill the pools, which diverted resources and attention from other
efforts. Subsequent analysis determined that the water level in the
Unit 4 spent fuel pool did not drop below the top of the stored fuel
and no significant fuel damage occurred. The lack of information on the
condition of the spent fuel pools contributed to a poor understanding
of possible radiation releases and adversely impacted effective
prioritization of emergency response actions by decision makers.
Following the events at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant,
the NRC established a senior-level agency task force referred to as the
Near-Term Task Force (NTTF). The NTTF was tasked with conducting a
systematic and methodical review of the NRC regulations and processes
and determining if the agency should make additional improvements to
these programs in light of the events at Fukushima Dai-ichi. As a
result of this review, the NTTF developed a comprehensive set of
recommendations, documented in SECY-11-0093, ``Near-Term Report and
Recommendations for Agency Actions Following the Events in Japan,''
dated July 12, 2011. These recommendations were modified by the NRC
staff following interactions with stakeholders. Documentation of the
NRC staff's efforts is contained in SECY-11-0124, ``Recommended Actions
To Be Taken Without Delay From the Near-Term Task Force Report,'' dated
September 9, 2011, and SECY-11-0137, ``Prioritization of Recommended
Actions To Be Taken in Response to Fukushima Lessons Learned,'' dated
October 3, 2011.
As directed by the Commission's Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM)
for SECY-11-0093, the NRC staff reviewed the NTTF recommendations
within the context of the NRC's existing regulatory framework and
considered the various regulatory vehicles available to the NRC to
implement the recommendations. SECY-11-0124 and SECY-11-0137
established the NRC staff's prioritization of the recommendations based
upon the potential safety enhancements.
Current regulatory requirements and existing plant capabilities
allow the NRC to conclude that a sequence of events such as the
Fukushima Dai-ichi accident is unlikely to occur in the United States.
Therefore, continued operation and continued licensing activities do
not pose an imminent threat to public health and safety. However, the
NRC's assessment of new insights from the events at Fukushima Dai-ichi
leads the NRC staff to conclude that additional requirements must be
imposed on Licensees and CP holders to increase the capability of
nuclear power plants to mitigate beyond-design-basis external events.
These additional requirements represent a substantial increase in the
protection of public health and safety. The Commission has decided to
administratively exempt this Order from applicable provisions of the
Backfit Rule, 10 CFR 50.109, and the issue finality requirements in 10
CFR 52.63 and 10 CFR Part 52, Appendix D, Paragraph VIII.
Additional details on an acceptable approach for complying with
this Order will be contained in final interim staff guidance (ISG)
scheduled to be issued by the NRC in August 2012. This guidance will
include a template to be used for the plan that will be submitted in
accordance with Section IV, Condition C.1 below.
III
Reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and
safety and assurance of the common defense and security are the
fundamental NRC regulatory objectives. Compliance with NRC requirements
plays a critical role in giving the NRC confidence that Licensees and
CP holders are maintaining an adequate level of public health and
safety and common defense and security. While compliance with NRC
requirements presumptively ensures adequate protection, new information
may reveal that additional requirements are warranted. In such
situations, the Commission may act in accordance with its statutory
authority under Section 161 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended, to require Licensees and CP holders to take action in order to
protect health and safety and common defense and security.
To protect public health and safety from the inadvertent release of
radioactive materials, the NRC's defense-in-depth strategy includes
multiple layers of protection: (1) Prevention of accidents by virtue of
the design, construction, and operation of the plant; (2) mitigation
features to prevent radioactive releases should an accident occur; and
(3) emergency preparedness programs that include measures such as
sheltering and evacuation. The defense-in-depth strategy also provides
for multiple physical barriers to contain the
[[Page 16084]]
radioactive materials in the event of an accident. The barriers are the
fuel cladding, the reactor coolant pressure boundary, and the
containment. These defense-in-depth features are embodied in the
existing regulatory requirements and thereby provide adequate
protection of public health and safety.
In the case of spent fuel pools, compliance with existing
regulations and guidance presumptively provides reasonable assurance of
the safe storage of spent fuel. In particular, Appendix A, ``General
Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants,'' to 10 CFR part 50
establishes the general design criteria (GDC) for nuclear power plants.
All currently operating reactors were licensed to the GDC or meet the
intent of the GDC. The GDC provide the design features of the spent
fuel storage and handling systems and the protection of these systems
from natural phenomena and operational events. The accidents considered
during licensing of U.S. nuclear power plants typically include failure
of the forced cooling system and loss of spent fuel pool inventory at a
specified rate within the capacity of the makeup water system. Further,
spent fuel pools at U.S. nuclear power plants rely on maintenance of an
adequate inventory of water under accident conditions to provide
containment, as well as the cooling and shielding safety functions.
During the events in Fukushima, responders were without reliable
instrumentation to determine water level in the spent fuel pool. This
caused concerns that the pool may have boiled dry, resulting in fuel
damage.\2\ Fukushima demonstrated the confusion and misapplication of
resources that can result from beyond-design-basis external events when
adequate instrumentation is not available.
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\2\ See Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) 11-005,
``Special Report on the Nuclear Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station,'' Revision 0, issued November 2011, p. 36.
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The spent fuel pool level instrumentation at U.S. nuclear power
plants is typically narrow range and, therefore, only capable of
monitoring normal and slightly off-normal conditions. Although the
likelihood of a catastrophic event affecting nuclear power plants and
the associated spent fuel pools in the United States remains very low,
beyond-design-basis external events could challenge the ability of
existing instrumentation to provide emergency responders with reliable
information on the condition of spent fuel pools. Reliable and
available indication is essential to ensure plant personnel can
effectively prioritize emergency actions.
The Commission has determined that the spent fuel pool
instrumentation required by this Order represents a significant
enhancement to the protection of public health and safety and is an
appropriate response to the insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi
accident. While this consideration is qualitative in nature, the
Commission has long taken the position that the determination as to
whether proposed backfits represent a substantial safety improvement
may be qualitative in nature. Staff Requirements Memorandum, SECY-93-
086, ``Backfit Considerations'' (June 30, 1993), pp. 1-2. However the
Commission does not, at this time, have sufficient information to
complete a full backfit analysis of the spent fuel pool instrumentation
that would be required by this Order. The NRC is analyzing the insights
gained from the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident on an accelerated timeline.
Additionally, the NRC has considered the Congressional intent that the
agency act expeditiously on Tier 1 recommendations.
The Commission has recognized, in exceptional circumstances, that
some proposed rules may not meet the requirements specified in the
Backfit Rule but nevertheless should be adopted by the NRC. Hence, the
Commission advised the NRC staff that it would consider, on a case-by-
case basis, whether a proposed regulatory action should be adopted as
an ``exception'' to the Backfit Rule. This Order represents such a
case. Therefore, the Commission has decided to administratively exempt
this Order from the Backfit Rule and the issue finality requirements in
10 CFR 52.63 and 10 CFR part 52, Appendix D, paragraph VIII for several
reasons.
The Fukushima Dai-ichi accident was unprecedented in terms of
initiating cause and the particular failure sequence. In addition, our
review of this event has highlighted the benefits that can be derived
from the availability of more diverse instrumentation. Consistent with
the final Aircraft Impact Assessment Rule, 10 CFR 50.150, 74 FR 28112
(June 12, 2009), the Commission's decision to administratively exempt
this Order from compliance with the Backfit Rule is a highly
exceptional action limited to the insights associated with the
extraordinary underlying circumstances of the Fukushima Dai-ichi
accident and the NRC's lessons learned. Furthermore, the extensive
stakeholder engagement and broad endorsement for timely action support
the Commission's judgment that immediate action to commence
implementation of the spent fuel monitoring requirements is warranted
at this time. In addition, pursuant to 10 CFR 2.202, the NRC finds that
the public health, safety, and interest require that this Order be made
immediately effective.
Based upon the considerations set forth above, the Commission has
determined that all power reactor licensees and CP holders must have a
reliable means of remotely monitoring wide-range spent fuel pool levels
to support effective prioritization of event mitigation and recovery
actions in the event of a beyond-design-basis external event. These new
requirements provide a greater capability, consistent with the overall
defense-in-depth philosophy, and therefore greater assurance of
protection of public health and safety from the challenges posed by
beyond-design-basis external events to power reactors. Accordingly, the
Commission concludes that all operating reactor licensees and CPs under
Part 50 identified in Attachment 1 to this Order shall be modified to
include the requirements identified in Attachment 2 to this Order. All
combined licenses (COLs) under Part 52 identified in Attachment 1 to
this Order shall be modified to include the requirements identified in
Attachment 3 to this Order.
IV
Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 161b, 161i, 161o, and 182 of the
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Commission's regulations
in 10 CFR 2.202, and 10 CFR parts 50 and 52, it is hereby ordered,
effective immediately, that all licenses and construction permits
identified in attachment 1 to this order are modified as follows:
A.1. All holders of CPs issued under Part 50 shall,
notwithstanding the provisions of any Commission regulation or CP to
the contrary, comply with the requirements described in Attachment 2
to this Order except to the extent that a more stringent requirement
is set forth in the CP. These CP holders shall complete full
implementation prior to issuance of an operating license.
2. All holders of operating licenses issued under Part 50 shall,
notwithstanding the provisions of any Commission regulation or
license to the contrary, comply with the requirements described in
Attachment 2 to this Order except to the extent that a more
stringent requirement is set forth in the license. These Licensees
shall promptly start implementation of the requirements in
Attachment 2 to the Order and shall complete full implementation no
later than two (2) refueling cycles after submittal of the overall
integrated plan, as required in Condition C.1.a, or December 31,
2016, whichever comes first.
3. All holders of COLs issued under Part 52 shall,
notwithstanding the provisions of
[[Page 16085]]
any Commission regulation or license to the contrary, comply with
the requirements described in Attachment 3 to this Order except to
the extent that a more stringent requirement is set forth in the
license. These Licensees shall promptly start implementation of the
requirements in Attachment 3 to the Order and shall complete full
implementation prior to initial fuel load.
B.1. All Licensees and CP holders shall, within twenty (20) days
of the date of this Order, notify the Commission (1) if they are
unable to comply with any of the requirements described in
Attachment 2 or Attachment 3, (2) if compliance with any of the
requirements is unnecessary in their specific circumstances, or (3)
if implementation of any of the requirements would cause the
Licensee or CP holder to be in violation of the provisions of any
Commission regulation or the facility license. The notification
shall provide the Licensee's or CP holder's justification for
seeking relief from or variation of any specific requirement.
2. Any Licensee or CP holder that considers that implementation
of any of the requirements described in Attachment 2 or Attachment 3
to this Order would adversely impact safe and secure operation of
the facility must notify the Commission, within twenty (20) days of
this Order, of the adverse impact, the basis for its determination
that the requirement has an adverse impact, and either a proposal
for achieving the same objectives specified in the Attachment 2 or
Attachment 3 requirement in question, or a schedule for modifying
the facility to address the adverse condition. If neither approach
is appropriate, the Licensee or CP holder must supplement its
response to Condition B.1 of this Order to identify the condition as
a requirement with which it cannot comply, with attendant
justifications as required in Condition B.1.
C.1.a. All holders of operating licenses issued under Part 50
shall by February 28, 2013, submit to the Commission for review an
overall integrated plan, including a description of how compliance
with the requirements described in Attachment 2 will be achieved.
b. All holders of CPs issued under Part 50 or COLs issued under
Part 52 shall, within one (1) year after issuance of the final ISG,
submit to the Commission for review an overall integrated plan,
including a description of how compliance with the requirements
described in Attachment 2 or Attachment 3 will be achieved.
2. All Licensees and CP holders shall provide an initial status
report sixty (60) days after the issuance of the final ISG, and at
six (6)-month intervals following submittal of the overall
integrated plan, as required in Condition C.1, which delineates
progress made in implementing the requirements of this Order.
3. All Licensees and CP holders shall report to the Commission
when full compliance with the requirements described in Attachment 2
or Attachment 3 is achieved.
Licensee or CP holder responses to Conditions B.1, B.2, C.1, C.2,
and C.3, above, shall be submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 50.4 and
10 CFR 52.3, as applicable.
As applicable, the Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
or the Director, Office of New Reactors may, in writing, relax or
rescind any of the above conditions upon demonstration by the Licensee
or CP holder of good cause.
V
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.202, the Licensee or CP holder must,
and any other person adversely affected by this Order may, submit an
answer to this Order, and may request a hearing on this Order, within
twenty (20) days of the date of this Order. Where good cause is shown,
consideration will be given to extending the time to answer or to
request a hearing. A request for extension of time in which to submit
an answer or request a hearing must be made in writing to the Director,
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation or to the Director, Office of New
Reactors, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, and
include a statement of good cause for the extension. The answer may
consent to this Order.
If a hearing is requested by a Licensee, CP holder, or a person
whose interest is adversely affected, the Commission will issue an
Order designating the time and place of any hearings. If a hearing is
held, the issue to be considered at such hearing shall be whether this
Order should be sustained. Pursuant to 10 CFR 2.202(c)(2)(i), the
Licensee, CP holder, or any other person adversely affected by this
Order, may, in addition to demanding a hearing, at the time the answer
is filed or sooner, move the presiding officer to set aside the
immediate effectiveness of the Order on the ground that the Order,
including the need for immediate effectiveness, is not based on
adequate evidence but on mere suspicion, unfounded allegations, or
error.
All documents filed in NRC adjudicatory proceedings, including a
request for hearing, a petition for leave to intervene, any motion or
other document filed in the proceeding prior to the submission of a
request for hearing or petition to intervene, and documents filed by
interested governmental entities participating under 10 CFR 2.315(c),
must be filed in accordance with the NRC E-Filing rule (72 FR 49139,
August 28, 2007). The E-Filing process requires participants to submit
and serve all adjudicatory documents over the internet, or in some
cases to mail copies on electronic storage media. Participants may not
submit paper copies of their filings unless they seek an exemption in
accordance with the procedures described below.
To comply with the procedural requirements of E-Filing, at least 10
days prior to the filing deadline, the participant should contact the
Office of the Secretary by email at [email protected], or by
telephone at (301) 415-1677, to request (1) a digital ID certificate,
which allows the participant (or its counsel or representative) to
digitally sign documents and access the E-Submittal server for any
proceeding in which it is participating; and (2) advise the Secretary
that the participant will be submitting a request or petition for
hearing (even in instances in which the participant, or its counsel or
representative, already holds an NRC-issued digital ID certificate).
Based upon this information, the Secretary will establish an electronic
docket for the hearing in this proceeding if the Secretary has not
already established an electronic docket.
Information about applying for a digital ID certificate is
available on NRC's public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/apply-certificates.html. System requirements for accessing
the E-Submittal server are detailed in NRC's ``Guidance for Electronic
Submission,'' which is available on the agency's public Web site at
http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html. Participants may
attempt to use other software not listed on the Web site, but should
note that the NRC's E-Filing system does not support unlisted software,
and the NRC Meta System Help Desk will not be able to offer assistance
in using unlisted software.
If a participant is electronically submitting a document to the NRC
in accordance with the E-Filing rule, the participant must file the
document using the NRC's online, Web-based submission form. In order to
serve documents through the Electronic Information Exchange, users will
be required to install a Web browser plug-in from the NRC Web site.
Further information on the Web-based submission form, including the
installation of the Web browser plug-in, is available on the NRC's
public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html.
Once a participant has obtained a digital ID certificate and a
docket has been created, the participant can then submit a request for
hearing or petition for leave to intervene. Submissions should be in
Portable Document Format (PDF) in accordance with NRC guidance
available on the NRC public Web site at
[[Page 16086]]
http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html. A filing is considered
complete at the time the documents are submitted through the NRC's E-
Filing system. To be timely, an electronic filing must be submitted to
the E-Filing system no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due
date. Upon receipt of a transmission, the E-Filing system time-stamps
the document and sends the submitter an email notice confirming receipt
of the document. The E-Filing system also distributes an email notice
that provides access to the document to the NRC Office of the General
Counsel and any others who have advised the Office of the Secretary
that they wish to participate in the proceeding, so that the filer need
not serve the documents on those participants separately. Therefore,
applicants and other participants (or their counsel or representative)
must apply for and receive a digital ID certificate before a hearing
request/petition to intervene is filed so that they can obtain access
to the document via the E-Filing system.
A person filing electronically using the agency's adjudicatory E-
Filing system may seek assistance by contacting the NRC Meta System
Help Desk through the ``Contact Us'' link located on the NRC Web site
at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html, by email at
[email protected], or by a toll-free call at (866) 672-7640. The
NRC Meta System Help Desk is available between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.,
Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, excluding government holidays.
Participants who believe that they have a good cause for not
submitting documents electronically must file an exemption request, in
accordance with 10 CFR 2.302(g), with their initial paper filing
requesting authorization to continue to submit documents in paper
format. Such filings must be submitted by: (1) First class mail
addressed to the Office of the Secretary of the Commission, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention:
Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff; or (2) courier, express mail, or
expedited delivery service to the Office of the Secretary, Sixteenth
Floor, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
Maryland, 20852, Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff.
Participants filing a document in this manner are responsible for
serving the document on all other participants. Filing is considered
complete by first-class mail as of the time of deposit in the mail, or
by courier, express mail, or expedited delivery service upon depositing
the document with the provider of the service. A presiding officer,
having granted an exemption request from using E-Filing, may require a
participant or party to use E-Filing if the presiding officer
subsequently determines that the reason for granting the exemption from
use of E-Filing no longer exists.
Documents submitted in adjudicatory proceedings will appear in
NRC's electronic hearing docket, which is available to the public at
http://ehd1.nrc.gov/ehd/, unless excluded pursuant to an order of the
Commission, or the presiding officer. Participants are requested not to
include personal privacy information, such as social security numbers,
home addresses, or home phone numbers in their filings, unless an NRC
regulation or other law requires submission of such information. With
respect to copyrighted works, except for limited excerpts that serve
the purpose of the adjudicatory filings and would constitute a Fair Use
application, participants are requested not to include copyrighted
materials in their submission.
If a person other than the Licensee or CP holder requests a
hearing, that person shall set forth with particularity the manner in
which his interest is adversely affected by this Order and shall
address the criteria set forth in 10 CFR 2.309(d).
In the absence of any request for hearing, or written approval of
an extension of time in which to request a hearing, the provisions
specified in Section IV above shall be final twenty (20) days from the
date of this Order without further order or proceedings. If an
extension of time for requesting a hearing has been approved, the
provisions specified in Section IV shall be final when the extension
expires if a hearing request has not been received. An answer or a
request for hearing shall not stay the immediate effectiveness of this
order.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Dated this 12th day of March 2012.
Eric J. Leeds,
Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
Michael R. Johnson,
Director, Office of New Reactors.
Power Reactor Licensees and Licensees With Active and/or Deferred
Construction Permits
Arkansas Nuclear One
Entergy Operations, Inc., Docket Nos. 50-313 and 50-368 License Nos.
DPR-51 and NPF-6
Mr. Christopher J. Schwarz, Vice President, Operations, Entergy
Operations, Inc., Arkansas Nuclear One, 1448 S.R. 333, Russellville, AR
72802
Beaver Valley Power Station
First Energy Nuclear Operating Co., Docket Nos. 50-334 and 50-412,
License Nos. DPR-66 and NPF-73
Mr. Paul A. Harden, Site Vice President, FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating
Company, Mail Stop A-BV-SEB1, P.O. Box 4, Route 168, Shippingport, PA
15077
Bellefonte Nuclear Power Station
Tennessee Valley Authority, Docket Nos. 50-438 and 50-439, Construction
Permit Nos. CPPR No. 122 and CPPR No. 123
Mr. Michael D. Skaggs, Senior Vice President, Nuclear Generation
Development and Construction, Tennessee Valley Authority, 6A Lookout
Place, 1101 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
Braidwood Station
Exelon Generation Co., LLC, Docket Nos. STN 50-456 and STN 50-457,
License Nos. NPF-72 and NPF-77
Mr. Michael J. Pacilio, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Exelon
Nuclear, 4300 Winfield Road, Warrenville, IL 60555
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
Tennessee Valley Authority, Docket Nos. 50-259, 50-260 and 50-296,
License Nos. DPR-33, DPR-52 and DPR-68
Mr. Preston D. Swafford, Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice
President, Tennessee Valley Authority, 3R Lookout Place, 1101 Market
Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
Brunswick Steam Electric Plant
Carolina Power & Light Co., Docket Nos. 50-325 and 50-324, License Nos.
DPR-71 and DPR-62
Mr. Michael J. Annacone, Vice President, Carolina Power & Light
Company, Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, P. O. Box 10429, Southport, NC
28461
Byron Station
Exelon Generation Co., LLC, Docket Nos. STN 50-454 and STN 50-455,
License Nos. NPF-37 and NPF-66
Mr. Michael J. Pacilio, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Exelon
Nuclear, 4300 Winfield Road, Warrenville, IL 60555
Callaway Plant
Union Electric Co., Docket No. 50-483, License No. NPF-30
[[Page 16087]]
Mr. Adam C. Heflin, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer,
Union Electric Company, P. O. Box 620, Fulton, MO 65251
Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant
Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, LLC, Docket Nos. 50-317 and 50-318,
License Nos. DPR-53 and DPR-69
Mr. George H. Gellrich, Vice President, Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power
Plant, LLC, Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, 1650 Calvert Cliffs
Parkway, Lusby, MD 20657-4702
Catawba Nuclear Station
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Docket Nos. 50-413 and 50-414, License Nos.
NPF-35 and NPF-52
Mr. James R. Morris, Site Vice President, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC,
Catawba Nuclear Station, 4800 Concord Road, York, SC 29745
Clinton Power Station
Exelon Generation Co., LLC, Docket No. 50-461, License No. NPF-62
Mr. Michael J. Pacilio, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Exelon
Nuclear, 4300 Winfield Road, Warrenville, IL 60555
Columbia Generating Station
Energy Northwest, Docket No. 50-397, License No. NPF-21
Mr. Mark E. Reddemann, Chief Executive Officer, Energy Northwest, MD
1023, P.O. Box 968, Richland, WA 99352
Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant
Luminant Generation Co., LLC, Docket Nos. 50-445 and 50-446, License
Nos. NPF-87 and NPF-89
Mr. Rafael Flores, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer,
Luminant Generation Company, LLC, Attn: Regulatory Affairs, P. O. Box
1002, Glen Rose, TX 76043
Cooper Nuclear Station
Nebraska Public Power District, Docket No. 50-298, License No. DPR-46
Mr. Brian J. O'Grady, Vice President--Nuclear and Chief Nuclear
Officer, Nebraska Public Power District, 72676 648A Avenue, P.O. Box
98, Brownville, NE 68321
Crystal River Nuclear Generating Plant
Florida Power Corp., Docket No. 50-302, License No. DPR-72
Mr. Jon A. Franke, Vice President, Attn: Supervisor, Licensing &
Regulatory Affairs, Progress Energy, Inc., Crystal River Nuclear Plant
(NA2C), 15760 West Power Line Street, Crystal River, FL 34428-6708
Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station
First Energy Nuclear Operating Co., Docket No. 50-346, License No. NPF-
3
Mr. Barry S. Allen, Site Vice President, FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating
Company, c/o Davis-Besse NPS, 5501 N. State Route 2, Oak Harbor, OH
43449-9760
Diablo Canyon Power Plant
Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Docket Nos. 50-275 and 50-323, License Nos.
DPR-80 and DPR-82
Mr. John T. Conway, Senior Vice President--Energy Supply and Chief
Nuclear Officer, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Diablo Canyon Power
Plant, 77 Beale Street, Mail Code B32, San Francisco, CA 94105
Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant
Indiana Michigan Power Co., Docket Nos. 50-315 and 50-316, License Nos.
DPR-58 and DPR-74
Mr. Lawrence J. Weber, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer,
Indiana Michigan Power Company, Nuclear Generation Group, One Cook
Place, Bridgman, MI 49106
Dresden Nuclear Power Station
Exelon Generation Co., LLC, Docket Nos. 50-237 and 50-249, License Nos.
DPR-19 and DPR-25
Mr. Michael J. Pacilio, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Exelon
Nuclear, 4300 Winfield Road, Warrenville, IL 60555
Duane Arnold Energy Center
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC, Docket No. 50-331, License No. DPR-49
Mr. Peter Wells, Site Vice President, NextEra Energy, Duane Arnold
Energy Center, 3277 DAEC Road, Palo, IA 52324-9785
Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant
Southern Nuclear Operating Co., Docket Nos. 50-321 and 50-366, License
Nos. DPR-57 and NPF-5
Mr. Dennis R. Madison, Vice President, Southern Nuclear Operating
Company, Inc., Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, 11028 Hatch Parkway North,
Baxley, GA 31513
Fermi
Detroit Edison Co., Docket No. 50-341, License No. NPF-43
Mr. Jack M. Davis, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer,
Detroit Edison Company, Fermi 2--210 NOC, 6400 North Dixie Highway,
Newport, MI 48166
Fort Calhoun Station
Omaha Public Power District, Docket No. 50-285, License No. DPR-40
Mr. David J. Bannister, Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Omaha
Public Power District, 444 South 16th St. Mall, Omaha, NE 68102-2247
Grand Gulf Nuclear Station
Entergy Operations, Inc., Docket No. 50-416, License No. NPF-29
Mr. Michael Perito, Vice President, Operations, Entergy Operations,
Inc., Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1, 7003 Bald Hill Road, Port
Gibson, MS 39150
H.B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant
Carolina Power & Light Co., Docket No. 50-261, License No. DPR-23
Mr. Robert J. Duncan II, Vice President, Carolina Power & Light
Company, 3581 West Entrance Road, Hartsville, SC 29550
Hope Creek Generating Station
PSEG Nuclear, LLC, Docket No. 50-354, License No. NPF-57
Mr. Thomas Joyce, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, PSEG Nuclear
LLC--N09, P. O. Box 236, Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038
Indian Point Energy Center
Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Docket Nos. 50-247 and 50-286,
License Nos. DPR-26 and DPR-64
Mr. John Ventosa, Vice President, Operations, Entergy Nuclear
Operations, Inc., Indian Point Energy Center, 450 Broadway, GSB, P.O.
Box 249, Buchanan, NY 10511-0249
James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant
Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Docket No. 50-333, License No. DPR-59
Mike Colomb, Vice President, Operations, Entergy Nuclear Operations,
Inc., James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant, P.O. Box 110, Lycoming,
NY 13093
Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant
Southern Nuclear Operating Co., Docket Nos. 50-348 and 50-364, License
Nos. NPF-2 and NPF-8
Mr. Tom Lynch, Vice President--Farley, Southern Nuclear Operating
Company, Inc., Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant, 7388 North State Highway
95, Columbia, AL 36319
Kewaunee Power Station
Dominion Energy Kewaunee, Inc., Docket No. 50-305, License No. DPR-43
Mr. David A. Heacock, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Dominion
[[Page 16088]]
Energy Kewaunee, Inc., Innsbrook Technical Center, 5000 Dominion
Boulevard, Glen Allen, VA 23060-6711
LaSalle County Station
Exelon Generation Co., LLC, Docket Nos. 50-373 and 50-374, License Nos.
NPF-11 and NPF-18
Mr. Michael J. Pacilio, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Exelon
Nuclear, 4300 Winfield Road, Warrenville, IL 60555
Limerick Generating Station
Exelon Generation Co., LLC, Docket Nos. 50-352 and 50-353, License Nos.
NPF-39 and NPF-85
Mr. Michael J. Pacilio, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Exelon
Nuclear, 4300 Winfield Road, Warrenville, IL 60555
Millstone Nuclear Power Station
Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc., Docket Nos. 50-336 and 50-423,
License Nos. DPR-65 and NPF-49
Mr. David A. Heacock, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Dominion
Nuclear Connecticut, Inc., Innsbrook Technical Center, 5000 Dominion
Boulevard, Glen Allen, VA 23060-6711
Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant
Northern States Power Company, Docket No. 50-263, License No. DPR-22
Mr. Timothy J. O'Connor, Site Vice President, Northern States Power
Company--Minnesota, Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant, 2807 West
County Road 75, Monticello, MN 55362-9637
Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station
Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, LLC, Docket Nos. 50-220 and 50-410,
License Nos. DPR-63 and NPF-69
Mr. Ken Langdon, Vice President Nine Mile Point, Nine Mile Point
Nuclear Station, LLC, P.O. Box 63, Lycoming, NY 13093
North Anna Power Station
Virginia Electric & Power Co., Docket Nos. 50-338 and 50-339, License
Nos. NPF-4 and NPF-7
Mr. David A. Heacock, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Dominion
Nuclear, Innsbrook Technical Center, 5000 Dominion Boulevard, Glen
Allen, VA 23060-6711
Oconee Nuclear Station
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Docket Nos. 50-269, 50-270 and 50-287,
License Nos. DPR-38, DPR-47 and DPR-55
Mr. Preston Gillespie, Site Vice President, Oconee Nuclear Station,
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, 7800 Rochester Highway, Seneca, SC 29672
Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station
Exelon Generation Co., LLC, Docket No. 50-219, License No. DPR-16
Mr. Michael J. Pacilio, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Exelon
Nuclear, 4300 Winfield Road, Warrenville, IL 60555
Palisades Nuclear Plant
Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Docket No. 50-255, License No. DPR-20
Mr. Anthony J. Vitale, Site Vice President--Palisades, Entergy Nuclear
Operations, Inc., Palisades Nuclear Plant, 27780 Blue Star Memorial
Highway, Covert, MI 49043
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station
Arizona Public Service Company, Docket Nos. STN 50-528, STN 50-529 and
STN 50-530, License Nos. NPF-41, NPF-51 and NPF-74
Mr. Randall K. Edington, Executive Vice President Nuclear and Chief
Nuclear Officer, Arizona Public Service Co., P.O. Box 52034, MS 7602,
Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034
Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station
Exelon Generation Co., LLC, Docket Nos. 50-277 and 50-278, License Nos.
DPR-44 and DPR-56
Mr. Michael J. Pacilio, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Exelon
Nuclear, 4300 Winfield Road, Warrenville, IL 60555
Perry Nuclear Power Plant
First Energy Nuclear Operating Co., Docket No. 50-440, License No. NPF-
58
Mr. Vito A. Kaminskas, Site Vice President--Nuclear--Perry, FirstEnergy
Nuclear Operating Company, Perry Nuclear Power Plant, 10 Center Road,
A290, Perry, OH 44081
Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Unit No. 1
Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Docket No. 50-293, License No. DPR-35
Mr. Robert Smith, Vice President and Site Vice President, Entergy
Nuclear Operations, Inc., Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, 600 Rocky Hill
Road, Plymouth, MA 02360-5508
Point Beach Nuclear Plant
NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC, Docket Nos. 50-266 and 50-301, License
Nos. DPR-24 and DPR-27
Mr. Larry Meyer, Site Vice President, NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC,
Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 2, 6610 Nuclear Road, Two Rivers,
WI 54241-9516
Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant
Northern States Power Co. Minnesota, Docket Nos. 50-282 and 50-306,
License Nos. DPR-42 and DPR-60
Mr. Mark A. Schimmel, Site Vice President, Northern States Power
Company--Minnesota, Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, 1717
Wakonade Drive East, Welch, MN 55089-9642
Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station
Exelon Generation Co., LLC, Docket Nos. 50-254 and 50-265, License Nos.
DPR-29 and DPR-30
Mr. Michael J. Pacilio, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Exelon
Nuclear, 4300 Winfield Road, Warrenville, IL 60555
R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant
R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant, LLC, Docket No. 50-244, License No.
DPR-18
Mr. Joseph E. Pacher, Vice President, R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant,
LLC, R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant, 1503 Lake Road, Ontario, NY 14519
River Bend Station
Entergy Operations, Inc., Docket No. 50-458, License No. NPF-47
Mr. Eric W. Olson, Vice President, Operations, Entergy Operations,
Inc., River Bend Station, 5485 U.S. Highway 61N, St. Francisville, LA
70775
Salem Nuclear Generating Station
PSEG Nuclear, LLC, Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311, License Nos. DPR-70
and DPR-75
Mr. Thomas Joyce, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, PSEG Nuclear
LLC--N09, P.O. Box 236, Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038
San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station
Southern California Edison Co., Docket Nos. 50-361 and 50-362, License
Nos. NPF-10 and NPF-15
Mr. Peter T. Dietrich, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer,
Southern California Edison Company, San Onofre Nuclear Generating
Station, P.O. Box 128, San Clemente, CA 92674-0128
Seabrook
NextEra Energy Seabrook, LLC, Docket No. 50-443, License No. NPF-86
Mr. Paul Freeman, Site Vice President, NextEra Energy Seabrook, LLC, c/
o
[[Page 16089]]
Mr. Michael O'Keefe, NextEra Energy Seabrook, LLC, P.O. Box 300,
Seabrook, NH 03874
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
Tennessee Valley Authority, Docket Nos. 50-327 and 50-328, License Nos.
DPR-77 and DPR-79
Mr. Preston D. Swafford, Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice
President, Tennessee Valley Authority, 3R Lookout Place, 1101 Market
Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant
Carolina Power & Light Co., Docket No. 50-400, License No. NPF-63
Mr. Christopher L. Burton, Vice President, Progress Energy Carolinas,
Inc., Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, P.O. Box 165, Mail Zone 1,
New Hill, NC 27562-0165
South Texas Project
STP Nuclear Operating Co., Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499, License Nos.
NPF-76 and NPF-80
Mr. Edward D. Halpin, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Nuclear Officer, STP Nuclear Operating Company, South Texas Project,
P.O. Box 289, Wadsworth, TX 77483
St. Lucie Plant
Florida Power & Light Co., Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389, License Nos.
DPR-67 and NPF-16
Mr. Mano Nazar, Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer,
NextEra Energy, 700 Universe Boulevard, P.O. Box 14000, Juno Beach, FL
33408-0420
Surry Power Station
Virginia Electric & Power Co., Docket Nos. 50-280 and 50-281, License
Nos. DPR-32 and DPR-37
Mr. David A. Heacock, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Dominion
Nuclear, Innsbrook Technical Center, 5000 Dominion Boulevard, Glen
Allen, VA 23060-6711
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station
PPL Susquehanna, LLC, Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388, License Nos. NPF-
14 and NPF-22
Mr. Timothy S. Rausch, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer,
PPL Susquehanna, LLC, 769 Salem Boulevard, NUCSB3, Berwick, PA 18603-
0467
Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1
(* via corrected letter dated 3/13/12--ML12073A366), Exelon Generation
Co., LLC, Docket No. 50-289, License No. DPR-50
Mr. Michael J. Pacilio, President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Exelon
Nuclear, 4300 Winfield Road, Warrenville, IL 60555
Turkey Point
Florida Power & Light Co., Docket Nos. 50-250 and 50-251, License Nos.
DPR-31 and DPR-41
Mr. Mano Nazar, Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer,
NextEra Energy, 700 Universe Boulevard, P.O. Box 14000, Juno Beach, FL
33408-0420
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station
Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Docket No. 50-271, License No. DPR-28
Mr. Christopher J. Wamser, Site Vice President, Entergy Nuclear
Operations, Inc., Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, 320 Governor
Hunt Road, Vernon, VT 05354
Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station
South Carolina Electric & Gas Co., Docket No. 50-395, License No. NPF-
12
Mr. Thomas D. Gatlin, Vice President Nuclear Operations, South Carolina
Electric & Gas Company, Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Post Office
Box 88, Mail Code 300, Jenkinsville, SC 29065
Vogtle Electric Generating Plant
Southern Nuclear Operating Co., Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425, License
Nos. NPF-68 and NPF-81
Mr. Tom E. Tynan, Vice President, Southern Nuclear Operating Company,
Inc., Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, 7821 River Road, Waynesboro, GA
30830
Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 3 and 4
Southern Nuclear Operating Co., Docket Nos. 52-025 and 52-026, License
Nos. NPF-91 and NPF-92
Mr. B.L. Ivey, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, Southern Nuclear
Operating Company, Inc., 40 Inverness Center Parkway, Bin B022,
Birmingham, AL 35242
Waterford Steam Electric Station
Entergy Operations, Inc., Docket No. 50-382, License No. NPF-38
Ms. Donna Jacobs, Vice President, Operations, Entergy Operations, Inc.,
Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3, 17265 River Road, Killona, LA
70057-0751
Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 1
Tennessee Valley Authority, Docket No. 50-390, License No. NPF-90
Mr. Preston D. Swafford, Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice
President, Tennessee Valley Authority, 3R Lookout Place, 1101 Market
Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2
Tennessee Valley Authority, Docket No. 50-391, Construction Permit No.
CPPR No. 092
Mr. Michael D. Skaggs, Senior Vice President, Nuclear Generation
Development and Construction, Tennessee Valley Authority, 6A Lookout
Place, 1101 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
William B. McGuire Nuclear Station
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Docket Nos. 50-369 and 50-370, License Nos.
NPF-9 and NPF-17
Mr. Regis T. Repko, Vice President, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, McGuire
Nuclear Site, 12700 Hagers Ferry Road, Huntersville, NC 28078
Wolf Creek Generating Station
Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp., Docket No. 50-482, License No. NPF-
42
Mr. Matthew W. Sunseri, President and Chief Executive Officer, Wolf
Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation, P.O. Box 411, Burlington, KS 66839
Requirements for Reliable Spent Fuel Pool Level Instrumentation at
Operating Reactor Sites and Construction Permit Holders
All licensees identified in Attachment 1 to this Order shall have a
reliable indication of the water level in associated spent fuel storage
pools capable of supporting identification of the following pool water
level conditions by trained personnel: (1) Level that is adequate to
support operation of the normal fuel pool cooling system, (2) level
that is adequate to provide substantial radiation shielding for a
person standing on the spent fuel pool operating deck, and (3) level
where fuel remains covered and actions to implement make-up water
addition should no longer be deferred.
1. The spent fuel pool level instrumentation shall include the
following design features:
1.1 Instruments: The instrumentation shall consist of a permanent,
fixed primary instrument channel and a backup instrument channel. The
backup instrument channel may be fixed or portable. Portable
instruments shall have capabilities that enhance the ability of trained
personnel to monitor spent fuel pool water level under conditions that
restrict direct personnel access to the
[[Page 16090]]
pool, such as partial structural damage, high radiation levels, or heat
and humidity from a boiling pool.
1.2 Arrangement: The spent fuel pool level instrument channels
shall be arranged in a manner that provides reasonable protection of
the level indication function against missiles that may result from
damage to the structure over the spent fuel pool. This protection may
be provided by locating the primary instrument channel and fixed
portions of the backup instrument channel, if applicable, to maintain
instrument channel separation within the spent fuel pool area, and to
utilize inherent shielding from missiles provided by existing recesses
and corners in the spent fuel pool structure.
1.3 Mounting: Installed instrument channel equipment within the
spent fuel pool shall be mounted to retain its design configuration
during and following the maximum seismic ground motion considered in
the design of the spent fuel pool structure.
1.4 Qualification: The primary and backup instrument channels shall
be reliable at temperature, humidity, and radiation levels consistent
with the spent fuel pool water at saturation conditions for an extended
period. This reliability shall be established through use of an
augmented quality assurance process (e.g., a process similar to that
applied to the site fire protection program).
1.5 Independence: The primary instrument channel shall be
independent of the backup instrument channel.
1.6 Power supplies: Permanently installed instrumentation channels
shall each be powered by a separate power supply. Permanently installed
and portable instrumentation channels shall provide for power
connections from sources independent of the plant ac and dc power
distribution systems, such as portable generators or replaceable
batteries. Onsite generators used as an alternate power source and
replaceable batteries used for instrument channel power shall have
sufficient capacity to maintain the level indication function until
offsite resource availability is reasonably assured.
1.7 Accuracy: The instrument channels shall maintain their designed
accuracy following a power interruption or change in power source
without recalibration.
1.8 Testing: The instrument channel design shall provide for
routine testing and calibration.
1.9 Display: Trained personnel shall be able to monitor the spent
fuel pool water level from the control room, alternate shutdown panel,
or other appropriate and accessible location. The display shall provide
on-demand or continuous indication of spent fuel pool water level.
2. The spent fuel pool instrumentation shall be maintained
available and reliable through appropriate development and
implementation of the following programs:
2.1 Training: Personnel shall be trained in the use and the
provision of alternate power to the primary and backup instrument
channels.
2.2 Procedures: Procedures shall be established and maintained for
the testing, calibration, and use of the primary and backup spent fuel
pool instrument channels.
2.3 Testing and Calibration: Processes shall be established and
maintained for scheduling and implementing necessary testing and
calibration of the primary and backup spent fuel pool level instrument
channels to maintain the instrument channels at the design accuracy.
Requirements for Reliable Spent Fuel Pool Level Instrumentation at
Combined License Holder Reactor Sites
Attachment 2 to this Order for Part 50 Licensees requires reliable
indication of the water level in associated spent fuel storage pools
capable of supporting identification of the following pool water level
conditions by trained personnel: (1) level that is adequate to support
operation of the normal fuel pool cooling system, (2) level that is
adequate to provide substantial radiation shielding for a person
standing on the spent fuel pool operating deck, and (3) level where
fuel remains covered and actions to implement make-up water addition
should no longer be deferred.
The design bases of Vogtle Units 3 and 4 address many of these
attributes of spent fuel pool level instrumentation. The NRC staff
reviewed these design features prior to issuance of the combined
licenses for these facilities and certification of the AP1000 design
referenced therein. The AP1000 certified design largely addresses the
requirements in Attachment 2 by providing two safety-related spent fuel
pool level instrument channels. The instruments measure level from the
top of the spent fuel pool to the top of the fuel racks to address the
range requirements listed above. The safety-related classification
provides for the following additional design features:
Seismic and environmental qualification of the instruments
Independent power supplies
Electrical isolation and physical separation between
instrument channels
Display in the control room as part of the post-accident
monitoring instrumentation
Routine calibration and testing
As such, this Order requires Vogtle Units 3 and 4 to address the
following requirements that were not specified in the certified design.
1. The spent fuel pool level instrumentation shall include the
following design features:
1.1 Arrangement: The spent fuel pool level instrument channels
shall be arranged in a manner that provides reasonable protection of
the level indication function against missiles that may result from
damage to the structure over the spent fuel pool. This protection may
be provided by locating the safety-related instruments to maintain
instrument channel separation within the spent fuel pool area, and to
utilize inherent shielding from missiles provided by existing recesses
and corners in the spent fuel pool structure.
1.2 Qualification: The level instrument channels shall be reliable
at temperature, humidity, and radiation levels consistent with the
spent fuel pool water at saturation conditions for an extended period.
1.3 Power supplies: Instrumentation channels shall provide for
power connections from sources independent of the plant alternating
current (ac) and direct current (dc) power distribution systems, such
as portable generators or replaceable batteries. Power supply designs
should provide for quick and accessible connection of sources
independent of the plant ac and dc power distribution systems. Onsite
generators used as an alternate power source and replaceable batteries
used for instrument channel power shall have sufficient capacity to
maintain the level indication function until offsite resource
availability is reasonably assured.
1.4 Accuracy: The instrument shall maintain its designed accuracy
following a power interruption or change in power source without
recalibration.
1.5 Display: The display shall provide on-demand or continuous
indication of spent fuel pool water level.
2. The spent fuel pool instrumentation shall be maintained
available and reliable through appropriate development and
implementation of a training program. Personnel shall be trained in the
use and the provision of alternate power to the safety-related level
instrument channels.
[FR Doc. 2012-6550 Filed 3-16-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P